Coin-controlled vending machine



July 3, 19.28.'

G. B. SMITH G01N CONTROLLI-:D VENDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1925 Ullmlll//fl/llllllllllk l; I lun!" 3mm/Hoz l 600W/lv 5:1/ TH,

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anfora/w11 Patented J uly 3, 1928.

GOODWIN B. SMITH. or NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-CONTROLLED VEN DING MACHINE.

Application 1ed,November 5,A 1925. Serial No; 67,079. i

The invention relates to vending or sales machines and relates more particularly to vending machines of the automatic coin controlled cabinet type.

An important object of the invention is to provide a coin controlled vending machineof the cabinet type so designed and constructed to permit the selection by the purchaser of the various articles contained -Within the cabinet by conveniently and manually operative means prior to the actuation of the automatic coin lcontrolled mechanism of the machine.

A Afurther object of the 'invention is to provide a vending. machine of the character described which is effectively locked against pilferyu when the. door is in open position7 thereby permitting one article only to be removed from the machine through the door aperture after the insertion of the required coin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. vending machine of the character described in which latch mechanism is provided for locking the delivery door of the cabinet in open position after a sale has been made, said door being automatically returned to closed position when said latch mechanism is operated; and in which the movement of the door to closed position automatically releases the cabinet to selectively position any desired movable recepy tacle or compartment within the cabinet in registry with the door aperture.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vending machine of the character described in which the operating mechanism is ldesigned to selectively bring into` registra-- tion with a door aperture articles carried by a container which may be moved vert-ically or horizontally and from either direction' as from right to'left and vice versa with 'a horizontal container'or upwardly or downwardly with respect to a vertically moved container.

A further object of the invention is to pro- Vide a vending machine in which a minimu'm of operating parts are required, said machine may be economically manufactured and disposed against a wall to occupy a relatively small area, and which machine is simple in operation and may be conveniently operated by the purchaser, said machlne being further of pleasing deslgn, well proportioned in'V assembly, and ornamental in appearance. A

- lVith such objects in view, as well as other advantages v,which may be incident to thev u se of the improvements, the invention cons-lsts in the parts and combinations thereof hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements constituting the same may be -varied 1n proportion and arrangement without defparting from the nature and scope ofthe invention.v

1n order to make the invention more clearly understood there/are lshown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without limit ing the improvements, cations, to the particular constructions which, for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.A In the said drawings Fig. l is a front elevation partially broken away, of one preferred embodiment of-the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view on line 2 2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. l-

Fig-4 is an enlarged detail View of the latch mechanism for maintainingthe door in open position.A

Fig. 5 is a similar `view showing the means for normally maintaining the door in closed position,'and its manner of release bythe coin controlled mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail View partially in section and showing the manner of alternately obstructing and exposing the coin slot 40., vReferring'to the drawings, the embodiment illustrated comprises a vertical cabinet structure 1 consisting of front, side and rear Walls suitably joined together as in any preferred cabinet construction. The side Walls 2 of the main cabinet are adapted to house for vertical reciprocation therein upon rails or guides 3, a movable article containing element 4 consisting of side walls 4a and a plurality of 'intervening transverse preferably 1n' their useful appli? inclined \sh elves or partitions 5, the Whole.,

wholevforming a series of receptacles or compartments movable within the cabinet. 0 The receptacles are designed to carry the different varieties of articles to be sold, said articles'being preferably arranged one within each. ofthe compartments formed by the shelves 5 and visible for inspection through the glass or other'transparent window 6 provided in the front. Wall of the cabinet Structure. If desired a top compartment 7 may be provided having a transparent front window 8 ythrough which is displayed for public inspection the nature and manufacturing origin of the article contained within the several Icompartments of the vertically reciprocable element 4. Or if desired the compartment 7 may be utilized as a storage area. In the embodiment illustrated the ar'- ticles displayed for sale consists of collars 8a each of which is preferably enclosed within a protective'wrapper 8b of paper or other material. The style and manufacturing origin of the collar may be represented by tho sample within the uppercompartment 7 and a different sizeV thereof may be contained within each compartment formed by the inclined shelves 5 of the movable container 4.

- These sizes may beindicated 'to the purchaser by any suitable means such as cards or` compartments have been wholly or tabs affixed to the4 wrappers 8b'in which the corresponding size collars are contained. The purchaser is thereby enabled to locate the collar which he desires before he proceeds to operate the machine to' purchase his collar. It will be understood that instead of collars any desired merchandise may be stored within the machine which is particularly designed to accommodate articles of various sizes or character which may-be f selected at will by the purchaser. It will be further apparent that the articles may if desired be uniform in character and the nature of, the latter or the particular manner of classifying the same does not in any way detract from the improved and advantageous features of the present invention.

The cabinet 1 is or may be further provided with an auxiliary storage cabinet 9 having a hinged door 10 'and a series of shelves 11 for conveniently storing a surplus supply of articles contained within the cabinet proper, and to enable the latter to be conveniently replenished after the several partly sold out. The top 12 of the auxiliary cabi-1 net 9 may form a convenient counter to receive the contents of the receptive compartments of the vertically reciprocable container 4 as the same are automatically discharged by gravity from the machine when the latter is actuated by the purchaser.

A door aperture 13 is provided in the front of the cabinet 1 preferably adjacent to the counter 12, said aperture being designed to be normally closed by a movable door` or window 14, which latter-may be provided with a central panel of glass or other transparent material. In the machine illustrated the door slidesvertically. The front wall of the cabinet is suitably cut-away as illustrated for thereception of the door 14 to permit the same to be opened and closed without interfering with the vertical travel of the article container 4. The container 4 may be formed of Wood or thin sheet metal and is preferably of light .weight to allow the receptivecompartments thereof to be selectively aligned easily in registry with the door opening with a minimum of effort on the part of the purchaser. The rear portion of the cabinetframe is provided with a removable section or door 22 to permit the container 4 to be assembled `within or removed from position wit-hin the cabinet. It is further possible to restock the compartments of the container 4 without remqving the latter from the machine, by the removal of the door or section 22.y By providing the plurality of forwardly inclined shelves 5 the machine becomes automatic in its discharge of the varticles by gravity, to the counter12 when the door is opened.

4 is further provided on one side thereof with a longitudinal rack member 15 which extends preferably the full length of the container. A transverse shaft 16 is suitably journaled within the frame 1 at the side of the machine having secured to its inner end a gear or pinion 17 suitably housed within a protective casing 18-and meshing with the The vertical reciprocable article 'container' teeth of the rack member 15'. The shaft 16 has secured thereto at its outer end an operating crank or handle 19 by means of which the pinion 17 may be rotated to vertically reciprocate the container 4 on the tracks or guides 3 in either direction within the cabinet or frame 1 of the machine. The portion of the cabinet frame 1 in which is journaled the shaft 16 may have housed therein a suitable escapement mechanism, friction clutch or brake 21 designed tocooperate with or bear against the shaft 16 to assist in retarding the tendency of the crank 19 to rotate by gravity when the container4 is being lowered. If desired suitable friction braking means may be provided within the cabinet frame and bearing against the side walls of the container 4 -to serve the same purpose in retarding the tendency of the container to slide downwardly by gravity on .the tracks or guides 3. A hydraulic brake consisting of a piston and a piston rod operating Within a hydraulic cylinder con- -taining any suitable fluid may be employed if desired to retard the tendency of the container to move downwardly by gravity.

Suitably housed within the cabinet frame below the shaft 16 and pivoted as at 23 to said frame is a weighted lever 24 having its weighted end resting or otherwise engaging against the top and extension 25 of the frame of the door 14. When the. door is in its normal closed position as illustrated in Figs. Q1 and 2 .the position of the lever 24 is such that its inner end 26 is depressed and maintained by the door out of engagement with the peripheral teeth of the pinion 17, to permit rfree rotation of said pinion by the crank or handle 19 to position the desired compartment of the container 4 in registry with the door aperture 13.l Thedoor frame 14 is further provided with a depending' extension or ear 27 having a pin or projection 28 thereon engaging a4 slot 29 in one arm of a bell crank lever 30 suitably pivoted as at 31 to the frame of the cabinet. the latter being suitably cut-away or recessed at 32 as illustrated in Fig. .2 to providea housing for the bell crank lever 30. The lower end of the bell crank lever is provided with av pin or projection 33 engaging a slot or recess 34 in one end of a iioating link member 35 housed within the recess 32 in the frame and having its other pivoted as at 36 to a lever 37 secured on the shaft 38 of the coin controlled mechanism. The latter may be of any Well known or preferred type which is designed to be operated by means of a handle or crank 39 secured to the outer end of the shaft 38, only when a coin of the proper denomination has been first inserted in the coin slot 40 provided for the purpose in the coin controlled housing 41 secured in any preferred manner to the side of the machine frame. For eX- ample any suitable coin control may be utilized, or one such as is fully described in my co-pending application, Serial No. 464.770,

filed April 27, 1921, for coin controlled de-.

vice. An examination of the coin controlled mechanism described 1n my said copending application will aid in a complete understanding of the present machine and said other application is hereby made a part hereof so far as it is necessary to the understanding and operation of the inventlon herein claimed. 1

The bell crank lever 30 and link 35 are` normally maintained in the position illustrated in Fig. 1"and as illustrated. in full at its other end as' at 43 to the frame of the cabinet 1. The doorj14 is furthermore normally locked or maintained in its uppermost' or closed position by means of a lever 44 pivoted at 45 to the inner side of the cabinet, said lever having a projection 46 normally maintained in the'path of the door frame 14 by means of a coil spring 47 en- ,ga-ging at ,one end the lever 44 and suitably house at its other end las at 48 within the side walls of the cabinet vframe 1. The

' pivoted lever 44 is provided at its lower end with a hinged-section 49 normally enga ing a pin or projection 50 on the floating lin 35 by means of which the projection 46 of the lever 44 is moved from the path of the door frame when the link 35 is moved to the right by the actuation of the' coin control handle 39, to permit the door to be opened. The initial movement of the link 35 to the right when the crank 39 is moved in a corresponding direction first removes the projection 46 out of the path of the door 14 and the latter is maintained in closed position by the tension of the coil spring 42. Continued movement of the link 35 engages the opposite end of this slot with the pin 33 of the bell crank lever 30. Thereafter the latter is swung on its pivot 31 against the tension of the spring 42, resulting in the door 14 being moved downwardly to vopen position within its guides, due to the engagement of the projection 28 on said door with the elongated slot 29 of the bell crank lever. The described movement to the right of the floating lever 35 brings its projection 50 below and to the right of the lower section 49 of the pivoted lever 44. The latter has its projection 46 maintained in sliding engagement against the side of the door frame 14 by the pressure of the spring 47 whe`n.the door is moving downwardly to open position.

The tendency of the coil spring 42 is to return the door to its normal uppermost closed position, and to render it unnecessary for the operator ,to maintain his grasp on the coin control handle 39 after the door has i been opened, latch mechanism is provided to automatically secure the door in open pos1tion to permit the operator to obtain access to the article within the particular compartment of the container 4 which is in alignment with the door aperture 13, in the event that said article is not immediately discharged by gravity on to the counter 12. T his latch mechanism consists in a lever 51 pivoted at 52 to a suitable bracket secured to the frame 1 pf the machine, said lever having its upper hooked end 53 pressed by a spring 54 in sliding engagement against the side of the door frame 14. When the door has been moved to lowermost or open position the hooked end of the lever 51 engages the topof` the door frame to maintain the" door in open position. In order to release the door and permit the same tp bev again moved to closed position a plunger 55 is provided suitably mounted for horizontal reciprocation within the frame 1 and having its inner end pivoted as :Lt-56 to the lower end of the latch lever 51. vWhen the plunger 55 f is pressed inwardlyby the operator to release the latch lever 51 from engagement with the door 14 the tension of the coil spring 42 swings the bell crank lever 30 on its plvot 31 .to elevate the doorto closed position. This movement by the tension of the springV 42 also carries the floating link 35. to the left and its projection is permitted to pass the section 49 of pivoted lever 44 by reason of the loose hinged connection 57. The pressure of coil spring 47 serves to again engage projection 46 of lever 44 with the frame of the door 14 to again lock the latter in closed position.

The manner of operating the described machine is briefly as follows: The prospective purchaser selects by eye the article he desires Within one ot' the compartments of the container v4. Assuming the door to be closed, locking projectionj26 of"\veighted lever 24 is thereby held'out of engagement with pinion 17. The purchaser turns the crank handle 19 in the proper direction to register the compartment containing the article desired, in alignment with the door aperture 13. The purchaser then deposits the proper coin in the slot 40 of the coin control housing 41, permitting crank handle 39 tobe rotated or swung to the right. This movement through the medium of the various links and levers described permits the door to be lowered Vto open position Where it is temporarily locked by the latch lever 51 and an article is discharged by gravity to the counter 12. Should the article become 'jammed within its compartment the pur- VChaser is enabled to reach through the door aperture to -dislodge his purchase. Assuming that the machine is left in this condition with the ,door vin 1 open position, the handle 19 can not be further rotated to bring -a filled compartment into registry with the aperture 13, duev to the locking engagement 'of projection 26 with pinion 17 occurring in the manner described as soon asthe door has been opened. It will be further understood that the locking lever 24 is suitably housed within a protective casing to prevent the same from being disengaged from the pinion 17 through the open door by an unauthorized or unscrupulousperson. A suc '-ceeding purchaser Who is desirous of obtaining a succeeding article in one of the remaining filled compartments of the machine, irst depresses the plunger `55 resulting in the door being automaticallyl moved by the spring 42 to closed position and by the same movement the coin control handle 39 is also moved to its normal position rendering the coin slot 4() unobstructed. The described automatic movement of the door to closed position releases the locking lever 24 from.

-insertion of a coin until the mechanism has been returned to normal position by the manipulation of the plunger 5 5.. A sliding shutter 57 is carried by suitable guides within'the housing 41 and is provided with a depending ear having a projection 58 thereon. Said projection engages an elongated recess 59 of the lever 37secured to the coin control shaft 38. When the handle 39 is swung to the right as illustrated in Fig. 6 to latch the door in open position the shutter 57 is moved by the lever 37 into position to obstruct the coin slot 40. When the mechanism is returned to normal position it will be apparent that the shutter 57 is carried by arm 37 to the left and out of registry with the coin slot, thereby permitting a subsequent purchase to be made.

lVhat I claim is:

1. In a coin controlled vending machine thecombination of a cabinet having a door aperture and a door normally closing the same, a container having article receiving pockets, mounted for vertical reciprocation within said cabinet, means for vertically reciprocating said container to selectively align said compartments With said door aperture, means for moving said door to open position to discharge the contents of a selected compartment, and means controlled by said door for locking said container against movement While said door is in open positin. Y

2. In a coin`controlled vending machine the combination of a housing having a door aperture and a'door normally closing the same, a container having a plurality of article receiving pockets mounted for vertical reciprocation Within said housing, means for reciprocating said container Within said housing to selectively align said compartments with said door aperture, means normally locking said door in closed position, means cooperating with said door locking means and adapted to move said door to open position to discharge the contents of a seleCtedcOmpartment, 'and means for locking' t-he container. against movement While said door is open.

3; In a coin controlled vending machine the combination of a cabinet having a door aperture and a door normally closingthe same,I a container having a pllirality of article receiving compartments therein mounted for vertical reciprocation within said cabinet, manually controlled means for imparting ,movement to said' container relative to vsaid cabinet to selectively position a desired compartment in alignment with said door aperture, locking means normally held out of engagement with said container, and means for moving said door to open position to discharge the contents of said aligned compartment, said movement of said door to open position actuating said locking means to hold said container against movement while said door is open.

4. In a coin controlled vending machine the combination of a housing having a door aperture and a door normally closing the same, a container having article receiving pockets, mounted for vertical reciprocation within said cabinet, means for vertically reciprocating said container to selectively alignlocking said container againstv movement" while said door is open, and means controlled by said door-moving means for automatically m-oving said door tol closed position after the contents of a single compartment have been discharged from the machine.

5. In a coin controlled vending machine the combination of a cabinet having a door aperture and a. door normally closing the same, a container having a plurality of article receiving pockets mounted for vertical reciprocation within said cabinet, means for vertically reciprocating said container within said cabnet to selectively align said compartments With said door aperture, means normally locking said door in closed position, means adapted to release said door locking means to permit said door to be moved to open position to discharge the contents of a selected compartment, means controlledby said door for locking the container against movement while said door is open, means for holding said door in open position, and means cooperating with said releasing means and said locking means for returning said door to closed position after said door hold ing means have been released. j 6 In a coin controlled vending machine the combination of a housing having a door aperture and a door normally closing the same, a container having a plurality of article receiving compartments mounted :for vertical reciprocation ii/ithin said housing, means` forv vertically reciprocating said con- `tainer relative to said housing to selectively position one of said compartments in 'registry with said door aperture, means for mov;-

ing said door to open position to discharge,

the contents of a selected compartment through said door aperture, means for locking said container against movement while said door `is open, means actuated by said door-moving, means for preventing movement of the latter While said -door is open, and means cooperatingwith said door-moving means and said actuatedv means for returning said door to closed position.

7. In a coin cont-rolled vending :machine ,the combination of a cabinet having a' door aperture and a door normally closin the same, a container having a plurality o article receiving compartments mounted for vertical reciprocation within said cabinet, means for vertically reciprocating said container relative to said cabinet to selectively position one of said compartments -1n registry 'with said door aperture, means for moving said door to open position to discharge the contents of a selected compartment through said door aperture, means controlled by said door for locking said container against movement While said door is open, a shutter actuated by said door-moving means for preventing movement of the latter While said door' is open, latch mechanism for maintaining said door in open position, and means cooperating with said door-moving means and said shutter for returningsaid door to closed position, said movement of the door to `closed position automatically releasing said container locking means t permit free movement of said container relative to said cabinet when said door is closed. v 8. The combination ofan enclosin cabinet, a series of vending receptacles reciprocablc therein, means for reciprocating said receptacles, a door in said cabinet relative to vwhich any receptacle may. be positioned to make its contents accessible therethrough,

'means controlled by the door for locking said reciprocable therein, said vreceptacles havingaplurality of inclined partition. members forming spaced compartments, a door in said cabinet relative to which any receptacle may be positioned to render the contents of a desired compartment accessible therethrough, means controlled by the door for locking said receptacles against movement when the door is open, means normally holding said door in closed position, and means actuated by 4said door-holding means for opening said door to discharge the contents of a selected compartmentby gravity through said opened door.

10. The combination of an enclosing cabinet, a series of vending receptacles vertically` reciprocable therein, said receptacles having forming spaced compartments, a door in said cabinet relative to which any receptacle may be positioned to render the contents of adesired compartment accessible therethrough, means for locking said receptacles against `movement when the door is opened, means `aI plurality of inclined. partition members 

